( 30 )
A.-At the present time it is impossible or almost impossible to get any European to sacrifice the time and trouble necessary in order to get a conviction against his coolies, and, if be does such a thing, he knows that that coolie will be tried according to English law and he will have very great difficulty in proving the offence. A long time would be wasted and he gets nothing in return for it at all. Even supposing he succeeds in prosecuting a coolie and getting a conviction, he is boycotted by other coolies or by the guild. It may be that he may get the coolies that have misconducted themselves fined, but he has probably, in consequence, to be without coolies for two or three months. If we had legislation, it would necessitate the employer himself going to the Registrar General's Office and that would entail a certain amount of trouble with the Registrar General. He would not take the trouble, of course, unless it were made penal not to do so.
The Chairman.-I take it that the people who are agitating must foresee that if any remedies are to be introduced, they can't be remedies involving no trouble. have to be taken.
Mr. Wilcox.-Would it be better to put registration in the hands of the Police as an administrative department? Would that not make matters casier?
A.—You would have every man numbered? Did you say nobody was to have anybody but a licensed coolie?
Mr. Wilcox.--That is so.
You
Mr. Badeley.—But you would then just have the same amount of trouble. would have to go to the Police Office and that would be as much trouble as going to the Registrar General's Office.
vants.
Witness.--The Commission knows, with reference to a large number of people in this Colony, that the engagement of coolies is practically in the hands of Chinese ser- Each of us may think that we are the master in our own house and that it is not the boy and we may go and engage coolies that have been with some friend of ours who would come up to our requirements personally, but within a week, if these coolies fail to give satisfaction to the boy, we shall have no peace in the house, and I think that is a thing very often forgotten. It is not as a rule the action of the master that the coolies complain of or are discontented with. Very often it is the action of the boy.
The Chairman.-If there was no difficulty in obtaining coolies, the boy would surely be able to pick up coolies who would work with him?
A. The boy may get coolies but they may not be coolies the master would approve of
Mr. Wilcox.Many boys refuse to appoint coolies and even refuse to recommend any. Of late years, that has frequently been my experience.
Witness. The coolies I have now have struck twice. They gave me notice a week ago, and notice the night before last, once because they said I was too heavy to be carried from Plantation Road Station to my own house, an eight minutes' walk. The second time was because they were kept out till half past ten at night. They had no other reason as far as I know.
Mr. Wilcox.--Have you ever heard of any coolie guilds?
A.-I have heard of them, but I do not know anything of them from my personal knowledge.
Q. As far as experience goes and your information goes, you have no means of ascertaining if there are any coolie guilds-merely coolie houses?